Improvement in harps



Patented Feb. 17,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. REED, OF SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF HIS EIGHT TO JULIUS E. GRAVES, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,689, dated February 17', 1874; application filed January 7, 1874.

`To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. REED, of Springfield, in the county of Vindsor and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Harp; and that the following is a i'ull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters ol' reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement in harps; and the invention consists in a harp constructed with a metallic back, in combination with a wooden sounding-board and a neck, constructed substantially as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my invention, and Fig. 2 a cross-section taken in the line x x.

Similar letters ofrei'erence indicate like parts in the several iigures.

` A represents a harp of the usual form, which may be of any size desired. The back B thereof is constructed of any desirable thin sheet metal, formed on its back to a semi-cylindrical shape, and tapering from base to top. The front edges ofthe back B may be bent at right angles to form llanges a; or these flanges may be separate pieces of metal attached to said back, as shown in Fig. 2. The base of said back is secured to the base E, and its upper end is secured to the end of the neck D. Inserted into the flan ges thus formed is a wooden sounding-board, C, the lianges a inclosing the sides otl said sounding-board, and the upper and lower ends thereof being protected and held in place by metallic bands, which form part of or are secured to the flanges c. Passed into the back B, and fitting closely against the under surface of the sounding-board, is a strip of wood, c, the upper end of which is secured to one end of the neck D, and the lower end of which is secured to the base E. Fitted to the front of said base, and extending upward at an angle, is the pillar F, the upper end oi said pillar being secured to the neck I) in the usual manner. Through the rear of the back B is a series of holes, f, which answer the double purpose of allowing' the sound to escape and also allow the adjustment of the strings.

The neck D of the harp may be made of two pieces of wood, the grain of one piece being at right angles to the grain ofthe other, as shown in Fig. l. In this way, lightness and strengtl-i are had.

A harp constructed substantially in accordance with the above description is supplied with strings g, and is light, strong, and less expensive than harps as ordinarily constructed, and, at the same time, will give out a greater volume of sound.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. As a new article of manufacture, a harp constructed with a metallic back, in combination with a wooden sounding-board, substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. The neck of a harp, constructed of two or more pieces of wood, glued together in such manner as that the grain of each piece shall be at right angles to each other,substantially as described.

GEORGE D. REED. lVitnesses:

HENRY CLossoN, JULIUs E. GRAVEs. 

